Chip shots

Date: December 09 2012

Glenn Jackson

MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF

Queenslander Cameron Smith is an amateur golfer. Of course he is, being the Australian rugby league captain and all. But Cameron Smith, the 19-year-old Queenslander, is also an amateur golfer - he just happens to be the only amateur left at the Australian Open, and perhaps a chance of winning it. After a three-under 69 on Saturday, Smith is now surely the second most famous Cameron Smith in Queensland, being in a tie for 18th heading into the final round at The Lakes. Having started Saturday's third round at two-over, Smith will now begin his final round at one-under par, only just behind his golfing hero Adam Scott. ''I've met him before actually and he seemed really nice,'' Smith said. In fact, Smith has also met his namesake, the Melbourne, Queensland and Australian hooker, having played rugby league at Bray Park State School in Brisbane. ''My school team went and saw the Origin team. I think that was his first year, actually. I was in grade 5 or something.''

It was ''pretty cool'' having the same name as the NRL star. But golf has always been more likely to grab Smith's attention.

He started following his dad around at the local club at age three in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, and by 11, was playing in his first competition. His round on Saturday featured two bogeys in the first three holes but then four birdies in a row, and six birdies in eight holes.

PENRITH BOY MEETS THE STARS

Another in with a chance of producing an unlikely win is fellow NRL fan Scott Gardiner, a former Penrith boy who is also one-under approaching Sunday's final round. Having met NSW coach Laurie Daley before the tournament, Gardiner, who will next year become the first Aboriginal golfer to play on the US PGA Tour, spent much of his post-round time on Saturday talking with South Sydney forwards Sam and Luke Burgess. Asked whether speaking to those players was more of a buzz than his four-under round, Gardiner said: ''It's pretty awesome [meeting them]. I read about them every week. Phil Gould needs to get them over to Penrith.'' A more likely scenario than the Burgess brothers playing at Penrith is Gardiner lifting the Stonehaven Cup. But Gardiner was not overly confident. ''It'd be nice to have a good round [on Sunday],'' he said. ''But the guys at the top, they're pretty good players. I don't see them coming back.''

KELLY GOES IT ALONE

Golf can be a lonely occupation, but it has never been more so for Andrew Kelly, who was first off on Saturday and, with an off number of competitors, on his own. Kelly teed off in the first group (well, it was a group if you classed his caddie) at 7.07am, without a marker, and was finished by 9.59am. ''I've never done it,'' Kelly said. ''But I've always thought about it, wanted to do it. It is quite different. It was a strange feeling, especially for the first nine. You get used to it, but the first nine was a bit funny, trying to concentrate. Because you didn't really feel like you were part of the tournament. As far as concentration, and getting things going, it didn't feel normal.'' Given he was so close to missing the cut, Kelly - who shot a two-over round to be six-over for the tournament - was simply happy to be out there. ''It's better playing than not,'' he said.

WATSON CHASING BIRDIES

What does an eight-time major winner do with his Saturday night when in Sydney? Go see the Sydney Opera House, of course. But Tom Watson, the American golfing legend, wasn't just content taking photographs. Watson's people spent Saturday searching for tickets for the Australian Ballet's Swan Lake. Thankfully, they found them. Watson shot a disappointing six-over round to be in a tie for 65th on Saturday, ensuring an early start after the ballet.

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